My WaPo article on Jesus and American Politics

Last updated on: November 14, 2019 at 1:15 am by Michael F. Bird

My WaPo article on Jesus and American Politics 2019-11-14T01:15:58-04:00 Michael F. Bird

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In a career first, I’ve had an article published in the religion section of the Washington Post on Jesus isn’t interested in America’s two party divide.

For people who are serious about following Jesus and how to live out their faith in him, it is not a question as to whether Jesus believes in our politics, rather, the real question has to be whether we believe in Jesus and in his kingdom as a challenge to our politics.

In other words, for Christians, the point of contention should not be whether Jesus is more conducive to Republican or Democratic parties, but whether we are prepared to break from the polarization of our politics in order to engage in a more authentic mode of discipleship.

To follow Jesus will inevitably require us to walk away from long-held political loyalties in order to reorder our lives around a new constellation of values shaped by Jesus’s teaching, his example, his death and resurrection, and his lordship over all things.

Following Jesus does not mean being apolitical, becoming disinterested in the affairs of government, quite the opposite in fact. Being a follower of Jesus means trying to forge our own political values based upon the story and symbols of Jesus himself, according to his kingdom, his teaching, and according to the faith delivered once for all to the saints. Jesus’s way is the way of love for the poor and prophesying truth against the tyrant.

If that is the case, Christians should not imbibe their political convictions from charismatic ideologues who either stir up rage within them or who scare them into prejudice. Christians should instead be prayerfully and thoughtfully considering what it means to follow Jesus in their own nation and neighborhood. Then, together with our church family, seek after things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8), and humbling asking God the Father to give us the wisdom and courage to pursue them (James 1:5).

Glad to see that it is currently the # 1 article in that section!

If anyone cares to discuss it in person, I’ll be in America, like, tomorrow!

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